Head of Projects - Insurance & Investments

About the role

The Head of Projects leads the project management function and oversees the planning, execution, monitoring and delivery of strategic and operational projects in the Insurance & Investments sector. The role sets project management standards, manages project portfolios and works with executive leadership and business stakeholders to turn strategic priorities into project initiatives.

Key responsibilities

• Develop and implement the project management strategy, frameworks and delivery standards, and lead project managers, coordinators and delivery teams
• Oversee multiple projects across business units, keeping scope, schedule, budget, resources and quality under control
• Establish governance, reporting, stage-gate reviews and performance dashboards, and monitor KPIs, risks and issues
• Manage project budgets, forecasts and resource allocation, including vendors, consultants and contractors
• Collaborate with executive leadership, sponsors and cross-functional teams, and build and coach the project management team
• Identify and mitigate risks, ensure compliance with insurance, investment and regulatory requirements, and lead digital transformation and process improvement projects

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Finance, Project Management, Engineering, IT or a related field; Master's or MBA preferred
• 10-15+ years in project management, programme delivery, business transformation or strategic operations, including at least 5 years in a senior leadership position
• Experience overseeing multiple projects, project managers and cross-functional teams; insurance, banking or financial services experience highly desirable

Required skills

• Project governance, budgeting, resource planning, risk management and delivery methodologies
• Project management tools such as Microsoft Project, Jira, Smartsheet or Monday.com
• PMP, PRINCE2, MSP, PgMP or Agile certifications are an advantage